Chain applicator



D. C.|FARRAN. CHA'IN APPLICATIOR.

APPLICATION FILED IIILv 7, 192|.

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CHAIN APPLICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 7, 1921.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922. l

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A ITM/vers unirsi)N STATES vPxrlazN'r oFFica.

DUNCAN' CLIFFORD IFA-ERAN, 0F ROWA, IOWA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO GUY It. SHELDON, OF ROWAN, IOWA.

CHAIN APPLICATOR.

Application filed July 7, 1921. Serial No. 483,073.

To all {whom t may concern:

Be -it known that l, DUNCAN Cnirronn FARRAN, a citizen of the United States. and

a resident of Rowan, in the county of Wright and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Chain Applicators, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention is a chain applicator or device for attaching anti skid chains in position upon the rear wheels of an automobile without leaving the'drivers seat or without stopping the car.

lt is the object of the invention to provide a simple, novel, and readily operated device" of the vabove character which will quickly appklythe lchain to the'tire without removing t e wheel or without touching the chain or applying the saine by hand in the usual way and so that the anti-skid chains of both rear wheels or tires may be simultaneously applied or removed as desired.

Other and further objects of my invention will become readily apparent to, persons skilled in the art, from a consideration ofthe following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

wherein- V p .f

Figure 1 isha longitudinal sectional view showing the manner of applying an anti-skid` chain with the improved. applicator ior attaching means. l l p i l Figure 2 isa similar view but showing the chain ina position when it is being applied or removed. 4

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on' Athe line 3 3 of Figure 2, showing -tl'ie'attachmentinplan.` f.:

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View takenv onlinel---llfofFignre. w` l Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1. v

Figure 6 is an elevationof the chainattachin clamp looking from the opposite side with respect to that shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is asectional end elevation.

Referrin vto the drawings in detail, there is shown yt e running board 10 spaced between the front and rearwheels at the opposite sides of an automobile, especially of i the passenger, type, the rear wheels being sheet metal with the bight portion 16 disposed at the front andthe extremities disposed at the 'rear in spaced relation to the tire of the wheel. The grooved supports or guide ways 13 are mounted on the top portions of the frame 14 upon the upper leg portions of the guide ways 15, and are directed upwardly and inwardly at right angles to en age over the downwardly and outwardly o set portion of the tracks l`12 so as to permit longitudinal sliding movement ofthe frame on said tracksbeneath the running board, suitable means manually or otherwise operated being provided for shifting the same in either direction. As shown,

- a-lever 16 is provided Yfor this purpose and is connected below its pivot 17 with a rod 18 connecting the opposed frames or guide' ways in order that the latter may be simul taneously shifted in the same direction. The

opposed guide ways or AU-shaped track of metal from which the saine are' formed7 are connected by plates or washers 19 running vertically,-thus bracingthe ide ways in position and producing a rigid 'frame by reason of the connection ofv Said plates by means of transverse -connecting members or bolts 20 having reduced end portions forining shoulders to enga e the'f inner faces of, the plates thereby uni ormly and positively spacing the same in parallel relation, while nuts or the like 21 engaged on the reduced threaded end of the bolts will serve to hold the 'parts against outward displacement, while permitting convenient assemblage or disassembla 'e thereof.

The gui e ways l5'y are provided with slots 22 andthe inner faces ofthe guide'ways are preferably lined with rubber in order to reduce the noise and also wear on the antithe opposed horizontally alignedguide ways skid chains which are carried therein in a manner to be hereinafter more fully eX plained. The slots 22V extend around the curved or bight portions 16 and said en is are preferably open as indicated at 23 vn F ig. 3 of the drawing, while across said ,Bird at a point to which the curved end portions are concentric, is rotatably mounted a transverse shaft 24'adapted to be turned in any suitable way, such as by means of a detachable handle or crank handle 25. Fixed to the shaft is a sprocket wheel or pulley 26 engaged by an endless drive chain or belt 27 centrally positioned between the spaced side members or guide ways of the frame, said chain being also trained around a grooved pulley 28 carried by ashaft 29 journaled between the spaced side, portions 30 of the frame beyond the open ends of the leg portions of the guide ways 15 as clearly shown in Figuresl, 2 and 3 of the drawing, in such a manner that the opposite laps or runs of the chain or belt are disposed substantially in alignment with the grooves or slots 22 of the guide ways'. The bottom portions of the upper guide way or leg portions thereof, are extended rearwardly beyond the top wall thereof, as indicated at 31 so as to facilitate the entrance of the chain and to support the same in position to travel over a pair of anti-friction rollers 32 mounted on the stub shafts or pivots 33 projecting from the side portions 30 of the frame which are coeXtensive with the.oute r faces or walls of the' guideplates and suitably secured thereto. These rollers are preferably provided with portions of different diameters, the outer portions being larger than the inner portions as clearlyshown in the drawing and the inner end being flanged so as to prevent the displacement ofthe side or binding chains 34"V of the anti skid chain 3,5, therefrom. The cross pieces 36 of the anti-skid chains are-designed to extend between the slot 22 of the guide-way and between the rollerls 32 while the binder chains 34 are passing over said rollers, or between 15, when one end of thev said skid chain is connected to the endless chain or belt 27 through the4 'medium of suitable attaching means as indicated a-t 37 and the shaft 24 is rotated tocause the chain 35 to be carried around by the supporting or storing chain 27, guided by and through the slot 22 of the guide way ,15 and supported by the latter beneath thek running board at the opposite side of the car.

In order to facilitate the application of the chains to the tire of the wheel at each side, a U-shaped arm 38 is pivoted as shown at 39 `at the extremities of its leg portions, beneath and forwardly of the roller or toothed pulley fixed tothe shaft 29 and immediately to the rear of the' lower guide way 15 offthe frame, said arms being adapted to be eld downwardly from the underside of the 'frame as by means of a spring 40 connecting U-shaped form and adapted toconform to.

the cross section of the tire and rim so as to bejretained thereon whenthe anti-skid chainis applied and be removed therefrom when the chain is removed for. storage beneath the running board of the vehicle, it being understood that similar devices are provided beneath each running board at theA opposite side of the automobile. The jaws 44 are mounted in spaced relation to the ends of the clamp 45 and are provided with springs 46 at. the outside thereof carrying pins at their free ends as indicated at 47 adapted to snapthrough apertures in the sides of the jaws and to extend through the latter to the inner walls thereof at the ends or sides of the clamp 45 for engagement with the end linksl of a chain 35. Locking levers 48 are pivoted beneath the spring 46 adjacent to the'anchored end of the latter and serve to displace the pins 47 in order that the chain may be hooked in' osition, and said locking levers 48 are provided with recesses 49 to engage the pins 47 beneath the springs 46 in order that the pins-may be locked in retaining position,I thus anchoring one end of the chain. The other-vend o the chain is positively anchored'to the opp site vside of the clamp 45, as indicated at 50.

Thus it will be seen that by mounting the clamp 45 in the arm 38 at opposite sides of the machine, and disposing the clamp in po sition to engage the tires of the wheels, when rotation is imparted to the drive wheel 11 by the advance of the vehicle', the chainswill be wound thereon, the chain automatically unwinding from the carrying mechanism arranged beneath the running board, which mechanism is free to turn normally. When the ends of `the chains have reached the clamps 45, they will automatically engage with the locking levers 48 and thereby be held beneath the pins 47, in order that the chains will be positively retained on the tires.

This operation may be manually facilitated, and the same is true when the chains are removed from Ithe tires 'or wheels and wound in the' guide-ways by connection with the chain 27 which may be operated or driven by. rotation 'of the shaft 24, manually or by power, as previously explained. Byreason of supporting the chain inthe manner eX- plained, they may freely move into and out of the guide-way, traveling around the bight inca-cao portions thereof without undue friction and thus preventing injury to the chain or catching of the parts or links thereof yupon the projections which-would result in the breaking thereof.

In View of the foregoing, it is thought that the operation of the devicewill be readily understood and in view of the simplicity and practicalvalue that it will readily commend itself to those skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, a carriage comprising spaced side frames including upper and lower hollow guide ways, said guide ways comprising vertically disposed and spaced parallel' opposed hollow U- shaped members, connecting means therefor, a shaft rotatably mounted at each end of the frame or carriage, a sprocket wheelfXed-to one shaft, a pulley on the other shaft, a chain engaged on the sprocket wheel and around the pulley, said chain having means to engage one end of an anti-skid chain for drawing the same around the guide-way', means at the free end of the carriage for disposing the chain in position to engage a tire.

2. ln an anti-skid chain applicator for automobiles having a running board and rear drive wheels, a frame arranged beneath each running board, said frame comprising a pair of U-shaped guide ways with their leg portions opening rearwardly and their bight portions disposed forwardly and provided with open portions, said guide ways being arranged in vertical positions and rigidly secured together in spaced parallel relation,

said guide ways being of tubular cross section and closed on all sides except the inner sides, said inner sides havingopenings or slots extending lengthwise thereof, antifriction means for guiding the chain into and out of said guide-ways, vand `movable means for supporting the chain in position toengage ythe tire-of the wheel and comprising a member attached to said movable means and extendingacross and into the slots of opposed Ahollow members of the guide ways 'for vmovement therein.

3. The. combination lfw'ithan automobileI having side running boards and rear drive wheels; of a chain applicator, said applicator comprising tracks mounted longitudinally beneath said running boards, a frame slidably engaging said tracks to move toward and away from the rear wheels, means for moving said frames said frames'comprising horizontally spaced .tl-shaped guide ways having opposed slots said guide-ways having their bight portions disposed forwardly and the extremities of the leg portion thereof open rearwardly, an endlessmember 'disposed between said guide-ways, means for operating. said endless member, means carnally beneath, said running boards, a frame slidably engagingl said tracks to move toward and away fromthe rear wheels, means for moving said frames, said frames comprising horizontally spaced U -shaped guide ways having opposed slots, said guide-ways having'` their bight portions disposed for-` wardly and the extremitiesV of thel leg portion thereof o cn rearwardlygi-connecting means between t e leg portionsfoifropposed guideways, said guide ways being-fof hollow tubular formation and having continuous interior slots for receiving the bindenchain therethrough with the cross piece extending between opposed slots of the giideways, 90 transverse connectin means between the opposed guide ways of the frame, holding the same in iixed parallel relation, an endless belt movably supported in said guide-ways with the rear turn thereof projecting rearwardly of the guide-way, means for operating said belt at the forward end thereof, a swinging U-shaped arm carried by the frame at thel lower portion thereof and adapted to be thrown into and out of engagement with the vehicle tire, said arm having 'a U-shaped jaw;` and antifriction rollers mounted upon opposite sides of the frames at the rear ends thereof. 4

5. lrllhe combination with an automobile, 105 having side running boards and rear drive 4wheels; ofa chain applicator, said applicator comprising tracks mounted longitudinally beneath said running boards, a frame slidably engaging said tracks to move toward and away from the rear wheels, means for moving said frames, said frames comprising horizontallyspaced U-sha ed guide ways having opposed slots, said guideways havin their bight portions disposed forwardlyand the extremities of the leg portion thereof open rearwardly, connecting means between the leg portions ofvopposed guide-ways, said guide-ways being of hollow tubular formation and having continuous interior slots for receiving the binder chain therethrough with thev cross piece extending between opposed slots of the guide- ,ways, transverse connecting means between the opposed guide -wa s of the frame, holdin the same in xe parallel relation, an en less belt movably supported in said guideways withthe rear'turn thereof projecting rearwardly of the ,guide-way, means for operatingsaid belt at the forward end thereis@ of, a swinging U-shaped arm carried by the received within the jaw of said arm, and frame at the lower portion thereof and means carried by theclamp fordetac'hably v adapted lto be thrown intov and out of enand automatically connecting the opposite 10- gagement with the vehicle tire, said arm ends of the chains thereto upon driving of 5 having a U-shaped jaw, the opposite end of the wheels when the clamp has been applied .the chain resting upon said arm, a clamping thereto.

member connected to the binder chain and DUNCAN CLIFFORD FARRAN. 

